On June 28, 2013 the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Casper Field Office is hosting a public scoping meeting on the Bates Hole Travel Management Plan. The meeting will be from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Casper Field Office, 2987 Prospector Drive.

The plan will address off-highway vehicle use and the designation of roads and trails within the Bates Hole Travel Management Area located west of Casper and south of Highway 220.

The scoping meeting is a starting point in which the public can identify issues to be addressed in the plan. Issues already identified include damage to vegetation, sensitive soils, important wildlife habitats, minerals, rights-of ways, additional transportation needs, motorized and non-motorized recreational use, and the impacts of off-route motorized use.

Written comments should be submitted by July 19, 2013 and addressed to: Bureau of Land Management; Attention: Kathleen Lacko; 2987 Prospector Drive; Casper, WY 82604. Please include “Bates Hole Travel” in the subject line. Comments can also be submitted via email to: casper_wymail@blm.gov.

For more information contact Kathleen Lacko at 307-261-7682.

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM's mission is to manage and conserve the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations under our mandate of multiple-use and sustained yield. In Fiscal Year 2013, the BLM generated $4.7 billion in receipts from public lands.